Column Generation for the Optimization of Switching in Repeaterless Quantum Networks

Quantum Physics [Submitted on 22 Apr 2026] Column Generation for the Optimization of Switching in Repeaterless Quantum Networks Álvaro Troyano Olivas, Andrés Agustí Casado, Hans H. Brunner, Chi-Hang Fred Fung, Momtchil Peev, Laura Ortiz, Vicente Martin Efficient resource allocation and optical switching promise high key rates, network adaptability, and cost reduction in repeaterless quantum communication networks. However, identifying optimal switching configurations remains a significant challenge due to the combinatorial complexity. We introduce a novel graph formulation to model the physical and logical structure of repeaterless quantum networks, enabling the systematic optimization of switching strategies. The problem is posed as a linear program and solved using a column generation approach. This method enables scalable computation despite the exponential number of possible network configurations. Our results not only provide a formal foundation but also a practical algorithm for the optimization of switching. Empirical tests confirm the solver's scalability with network size, demonstrating the framework's effectiveness and laying the groundwork for future optimization of quantum network control. Comments: 6 pages, 5 figures Subjects: Quantum Physics (quant-ph); Networking and Internet Architecture (cs.NI) Cite as: arXiv:2604.20338 [quant-ph]   (or arXiv:2604.20338v1 [quant-ph] for this version)   https://doi.org/10.48550/arXiv.2604.20338 Focus to learn more Submission history From: Chi-Hang Fred Fung [view email] [v1] Wed, 22 Apr 2026 08:33:21 UTC (83 KB) Access Paper: HTML (experimental) view license Current browse context: quant-ph < prev   |   next > new | recent | 2026-04 Change to browse by: cs cs.NI References & Citations INSPIRE HEP NASA ADS Google Scholar Semantic Scholar Export BibTeX Citation Bookmark Bibliographic Tools Bibliographic and Citation Tools Bibliographic Explorer Toggle Bibliographic Explorer (What is the Explorer?) Connected Papers Toggle Connected Papers (What is Connected Papers?) Litmaps Toggle Litmaps (What is Litmaps?) scite.ai Toggle scite Smart Citations (What are Smart Citations?) Code, Data, Media Demos Related Papers About arXivLabs Which authors of this paper are endorsers? | Disable MathJax (What is MathJax?)